Gateacre Feb^y 16^th 1807
My dear Sister
Its seems a long time since you
Left us although it is not quite a week, Hatfield
& Thomas are very impatient to write to you, They have
asked me a dozen times to write for them.
James Boardman spent the day with us yesterday,
My Uncle B--- is poorly, he said Aunt Board=
=man intended answering My Grandmother’s letter
they keep a very close correspondence: M^r Holmes
is expected here on Tuesday, M^rs Holmes goes with
him to Manchester & (if my Cousin Hannah cannot
prevail on her to stay) into Yorkshire, My Father
Grandmother & Miss Bagnall went to M^r Billy
on Friday, & stayed till 2 o’clock, they met the
usual party. M^r Shepherd is quite recovered In
the last paper was mentioned the death of {?Grendal}
Park, who fought in the {?Causcan} battles, I did
not know he was living, till I heard he was dead
[crosshatched]
I have not much more to say, but I think I will just
begin to cross a little. The Black duck has laid 6 eggs
that is Jo^s duck but my father says he must have
all the eggs for keeping it. I hope you did not forget
any thing which you intended to take with you.
Margaret begs to be remembered to you. Hatfield &
Thomas wish me to tell you they have got their bequests
Yet, & they intend to keep them – till you come home.
We beg you to send us some specimens of your drawings
The Great Russian Victory is reduced to nothing after
all the reports, I suppose there will be another {?fabucated}
shortly, Captain Colquists trial is over, he has been
acquitted of the charges brought against him.
[new page]
He was the God father of {?Bonaparte}
M^r Bibby has begun his alterations in the field
Opposite here, he begins with felling the timber
The Withen trees at the top of the field are cut down;
& I am sorry to say the Ash {?tree} which overlooked
our garden was but down on Friday. M^r Websters
house is to be offered for sale on Saturday; I suppose
M^r Hobson has given up the thoughts of it as
he has not been again.
We understand the bill for the Abolition of the
Slave trade has passed the House of Lords
by a majority of 64, & is now in the Commons
we had the debates of the House of Lords in Wed=
=nesdays paper, Lord {?Greville} made a long & in
my opinion, very poor speech, the Duke of Gloucester
spoke in favour of the Abolition & the Duke of C
against it, My father does not expect it will
pass, but I think as it has passed the lords, where
it as always before been thrown out, I have both
the hope & expectation of it succeeding.
[new page]
All here desire love to you, & My Father desires you
will take particular care of your health
I hope we shall hear from you soon. There has
been some very fine weather since you left, though
yesterday & to day it is rather gloomy
We have got the Athenaum for February, I {?mark}
it is under [illeg] than the first one
James wishes you to send us the particularly
the manner in which you spend your time.
I did not send any Valentines on Saturday
M^r Lloyd told us, & Helen Rawson, that [damaged]
Had made a very good escape, for you was coming
To some very hard questions in Algebra but I supp=
=ose you will come to them notwithstanding
I suppose you have not heard from E Hatfield
since you went to School; M^rs Nichols has
seventeen scholars now Miss E Crompton does
not got to Chester till the end of March
I have begun Miss {?Atkins} letter for Miss Kirkpatrick
but it will be a long time before it is finished
[crosshatched]
Farewell my dear Mary Ann, I am your affectionate
Sister, Elizabeth
[change hand]
My dear Mary-Ann
Hatfield & I played at hopscot
monday night. James puts the little parlour fire out
often after supper Mary Ann bring some pictures home with
you for Hatfield & I James put on the collage that
you gave me; ‘ Nicholson the gift of his sister Mary-Ann
when she first went to boarding school AD 1807’
Do you like being at Warrington Bessey bought Dorothy
Hatfield & I some little boxes with very nice lids
Hatfield & I will give Dorothy our old {?gardens} when she
is able to keep them – Every body is very well in this house
I am reading in tales of the Castle, & I don’t like it a bit
We shall all be very glad to see you is hear you come
home. The four ducks are very well. Miss Bagnall
does not put paper in the key hole very often now
Goodbye, I am your Brother Tho^s Nicholson
[new page]
[original hand] Miss Bagnall desires to be remembered to you,
she is very well, I hope by the next time I write
she will be gone.
Miss Nicholson
Miss Mangnalls
Busey Lane
Warrington
I paid M^rs Kershaw for your spencer it was 2{^s}/4{^d}
I am got into [deleted] Duo Decimals
Hatfield and Tho^s desire me to tell you that I have
given them my garden, they have been very busy in getting
it into order as I resigned it to them very full of weeds
[vertical right margin] Gateacre 16^th Feb^y 1807
E Nicholson to M A N
Ans^d 3^d March

Gateacre Feb^y 16^th 1807
My dear Sister
Its seems a long time since you
Left us although it is not quite a week, Hatfield
& Thomas are very impatient to write to you, They have
asked me a dozen times to write for them.
James Boardman spent the day with us yesterday,
My Uncle B--- is poorly, he said Aunt Board=
=man intended answering My Grandmother’s letter
they keep a very close correspondence: M^r Holmes
is expected here on Tuesday, M^rs Holmes goes with
him to Manchester & (if my Cousin Hannah cannot
prevail on her to stay) into Yorkshire, My Father
Grandmother & Miss Bagnall went to M^r Billy
on Friday, & stayed till 2 o’clock, they met the
usual party. M^r Shepherd is quite recovered In
the last paper was mentioned the death of {?Grendal}
Park, who fought in the {?Causcan} battles, I did
not know he was living, till I heard he was dead
[crosshatched]
I have not much more to say, but I think I will just
begin to cross a little. The Black duck has laid 6 eggs
that is Jo^s duck but my father says he must have
all the eggs for keeping it. I hope you did not forget
any thing which you intended to take with you.
Margaret begs to be remembered to you. Hatfield &
Thomas wish me to tell you they have got their bequests
Yet, & they intend to keep them – till you come home.
We beg you to send us some specimens of your drawings
The Great Russian Victory is reduced to nothing after
all the reports, I suppose there will be another {?fabucated}
shortly, Captain Colquists trial is over, he has been
acquitted of the charges brought against him.
[new page]
He was the God father of {?Bonaparte}
M^r Bibby has begun his alterations in the field
Opposite here, he begins with felling the timber
The Withen trees at the top of the field are cut down;
& I am sorry to say the Ash {?tree} which overlooked
our garden was but down on Friday. M^r Websters
house is to be offered for sale on Saturday; I suppose
M^r Hobson has given up the thoughts of it as
he has not been again.
We understand the bill for the Abolition of the
Slave trade has passed the House of Lords
by a majority of 64, & is now in the Commons
we had the debates of the House of Lords in Wed=
=nesdays paper, Lord {?Greville} made a long & in
my opinion, very poor speech, the Duke of Gloucester
spoke in favour of the Abolition & the Duke of C
against it, My father does not expect it will
pass, but I think as it has passed the lords, where
it as always before been thrown out, I have both
the hope & expectation of it succeeding.
[new page]
All here desire love to you, & My Father desires you
will take particular care of your health
I hope we shall hear from you soon. There has
been some very fine weather since you left, though
yesterday & to day it is rather gloomy
We have got the Athenaum for February, I {?mark}
it is under [illeg] than the first one
James wishes you to send us the particularly
the manner in which you spend your time.
I did not send any Valentines on Saturday
M^r Lloyd told us, & Helen Rawson, that [damaged]
Had made a very good escape, for you was coming
To some very hard questions in Algebra but I supp=
=ose you will come to them notwithstanding
I suppose you have not heard from E Hatfield
since you went to School; M^rs Nichols has
seventeen scholars now Miss E Crompton does
not got to Chester till the end of March
I have begun Miss {?Atkins} letter for Miss Kirkpatrick
but it will be a long time before it is finished
[crosshatched]
Farewell my dear Mary Ann, I am your affectionate
Sister, Elizabeth
[change hand]
My dear Mary-Ann
Hatfield & I played at hopscot
monday night. James puts the little parlour fire out
often after supper Mary Ann bring some pictures home with
you for Hatfield & I James put on the collage that
you gave me; ‘ Nicholson the gift of his sister Mary-Ann
when she first went to boarding school AD 1807’
Do you like being at Warrington Bessey bought Dorothy
Hatfield & I some little boxes with very nice lids
Hatfield & I will give Dorothy our old {?gardens} when she
is able to keep them – Every body is very well in this house
I am reading in tales of the Castle, & I don’t like it a bit
We shall all be very glad to see you is hear you come
home. The four ducks are very well. Miss Bagnall
does not put paper in the key hole very often now
Goodbye, I am your Brother Tho^s Nicholson
[new page]
[original hand] Miss Bagnall desires to be remembered to you,
she is very well, I hope by the next time I write
she will be gone.
Miss Nicholson
Miss Mangnalls
Busey Lane
Warrington
I paid M^rs Kershaw for your spencer it was 2{^s}/4{^d}
I am got into [deleted] Duo Decimals
Hatfield and Tho^s desire me to tell you that I have
given them my garden, they have been very busy in getting
it into order as I resigned it to them very full of weeds
[vertical right margin] Gateacre 16^th Feb^y 1807
E Nicholson to M A N
Ans^d 3^d March